Breaking the Habit
by Karakuri Pierrot
Summary: The hardships of life help us grow and find happiness. Fate brings together two people together for a reason or two that may last for a few seconds to a life time. They might be what we were looking for this whole time... or not.


Hello everyone! I'm back with a new story.

I would like to warn everyone that this may contain OOCness of characters and any other thing you might notice.

By the way, I don't own Prince of Tennis or any characters in this anime. It rightfully belongs to Takeshi Konomi.

Please enjoy this story!

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**_Memories consume_**

_**Like opening the wound**_

_**I'm picking me apart again**_

_**You all assume**_

_**I'm safe here in my room**_

_**Unless I try to start again**_

"I hate you!"

That was shouted by a dark-haired boy after he was locked inside his own room. Luckily, he had a bathroom and some food in there so he can survive for the time being. He went to his bed and lied down, staring at his ceiling.

A few minutes later, he fell into a deep sleep. He began to dream of what happened to him all this time. From the very oldest memory he had to the most recent one, even the ones that hurt him deeply.

_**I don't want to be the one**_

_**The battles always choose**_

_**'Cause inside I realize**_

_**That I'm the one confused**_

"Have you ever wondered why they only let you out when you are needed?"

That was asked by a fair-haired boy who was friends with the dark-haired one, though the former is older by nearly two years. The latter shook his head and then asked himself in his thoughts **why** he is let out only when **they** needed him.

"Don't think about it much. The time will come when the truth will come out." His older friend said.

He just nodded and lied down on his bed. His friend just remained seated on the chair next to him and waited for him to fall asleep before leaving, just like always.

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

_**Or why I have to scream**_

_**I don't know why I instigate**_

_**And say what I don't mean**_

_**I don't know how I got this way**_

_**I know it's not alright**_

_**So I'm breaking the habit**_

_**I'm breaking the habit **_

_**Tonight**_

They locked him inside his room again but this time, he didn't brawl, scream or even show any emotion. He just walked up with them and went inside. Once he was inside, he made sure that no one else was left outside before sitting on his bed.

"You had a rough day?" His fair-haired friend asked after appearing suddenly.

He nodded, not surprised at his friend's sudden appearances at his room. His friend sat beside him while waiting, just simply waiting. He took a few deep breaths to calm down a bit then he lay down his head on his friend's lap. His friend did his usual routine after a hectic day, just like always.

_**Clutching my cure**_

_**I tightly lock the door**_

_**I try to catch my breath again**_

_**I hurt much more**_

_**Than anytime before**_

_**I had no options left again**_

In the past, he was dragged, carried, walked or even thrown into his room. This time, it was different. He was running away from **them**, wanting to be inside his room. He locked his door from the inside and went directly to the bathroom. He took his medication and tried to catch his breath.

"What happened?"

He didn't turn around nor answered his friend directly. He looked at the shattered mirror to the floor tiles. His friend got the hidden message and hugged the younger boy from behind, wishing that he was there to protect the younger boy.

"You know you can't." The younger boy in his arms mumbled as if reading his thoughts.

"That doesn't mean I can't help you indirectly." The older boy replied.

"You'll endanger yourself." He muttered under his breath.

The older boy just hugged him tighter, begging tears not to fall from his closed eyes. He knew that once his friend was there, he was alone and unprotected but he can't help him. He'll endanger himself and he won't be able to protect the boy in his arms even in his room.

His grip got tighter as he remembered how useless he can be once his younger friend was out of his field. He may be a genius, as the others say, but even he has his limitations, just like them. His younger friend wrapped his arms around him and by then, he allowed himself to cry silently.

_**I don't want to be the one**_

_**The battles always choose**_

_**'Cause inside I realize**_

_**That I'm the one confused**_

His missions suddenly increased that he really missed staying in his room. At least there, he has some time for himself and his friend but he's still confused why he is the one doing the missions. **They** have enough people to do the dirty work for them. Why him?

He sighed as he entered his room, locked his door and flopped on his bed. He so didn't want to think about that again. After a few seconds, he got up and took his medication. He went to bed afterwards but couldn't fall asleep.

"Waiting for me?"

The known presence of his friend was comforting and his voice was soothing. It was just the perfect remedy to fall asleep, for him. His friend sat down on the bed when he sat up.

"Where were you?"

"There were guards outside so I assumed that someone was keeping an eye out for today so I had to sneak in through the back." His friend replied as he did his usual routine, just like always.

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

_**Or why I have to scream**_

_**I don't know why I instigate**_

_**And say what I don't mean**_

_**I don't know how I got this way**_

_**I'll never be alright**_

_**So, I'm breaking the habit**_

_**I'm breaking the habit **_

_**Tonight**_

Sounds of the sirens and gunshots woke him up one morning. He then looked out his window and saw the police and a couple by the street but his friend was no where in sight.

"Looking for me?"

He didn't turn around.

"What's happening down there?" He asked.

"Someone was a witness of last night's mission. Luckily, you weren't called yesterday but someone else, a careless one for that matter."

"What are they doing down there?" He asked as he pointed at the couple.

"They said that saw you when you were taken away. They have filed a report back then but didn't have enough evidence to prove it. They told the police that this would be the chance to get the proper evidence." His friend explained.

He nodded and sat on his bed after turning away from the window. He took a few deep breaths and stood up afterwards to get some breakfast.

"Are you coming?"

_**I'll paint it on the walls**_

_**'Cause I'm the one at fault**_

_**I'll never fight again**_

_**And this is how it ends**_

They were now taken away from him. He felt happy that he can finally live normally again, in his own definition of normal. He stayed in the house his real parents left him and even asked his friend to live there with him.

In every room, he placed paintings and pictures of landscapes and animals. On top of the fire place, the picture of him and his real parents was placed. On each side, he placed something to remember them by.

He designed the whole house with his friend except for one room. Once the rest of the house was decorated, he took a few cans of paint and a couple of paint brushes. He asked his friend to sit on the very middle of the room and watch what he will do.

He covered every wall black then slowly waited for them to be partially dry. Once one wall was done, he started his work. He painted his family, his friend and himself on one-fourth of the wall and continued until the end of the wall. It looked like time passed by on the wall.

He finished the other two walls but left the one where the door was blank. He asked his friend to stand up and help him there. They closed the door and painted what represented them, their freedom and their promise to break the habit that they know will be their own downfall.

"It feels great to be like this, neh?"

_**I don't know what's worth fighting for**_

_**Or why I have to scream**_

_**But now I have some clarity**_

_**To show you what I mean**_

_**I don't know how I got this way**_

_**I'll never be alright**_

_**So, I'm breaking the habit**_

_**I'm breaking the habit **_

_**I'm breaking the habit **_

_**Tonight**_

That wall had been their start and reminder for them what they had been through and was they have promised to themselves and each other. They never really knew much of what they were doing, for who it was and even why they did it.

Until now, they still don't know and probably won't for the rest of their lives. They don't mind that at all. To them, the important things are themselves and each other because that's all they have and can ever hold close.

They know they will be discovered by the ones pursuing them but they don't care. It used to be only the fair-haired one but after the capture of his captors, it changed. The present is now and the future is still to come and change. They can't change what they are truly or what happened.

That was clear to them once the dark-haired one was taken away by his captors. The real enemy is still to be shown and they know that it is their habit that will give them away. For that reason, they need to change. For that reason, their lives are on each others hands than themselves.

"That's why we'll be breaking the habit tonight."

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Breaking the Habit

A Ryoma Echizen and Syusuke Fuji One-shot

Song and Artist:

Breaking the Habit

Linkin Park

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If any of you noticed, there was a very small hint of Thrill pair or FujixRyoma. If you figured out it was them all along, you would have noticed that.

But I would just like to tell you, my dear reader, that I didn't intend that. It just happened when I typed it up.

Please review or comment!


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